The flight over to Indonesia was, well, long! Within just a few minutes in the airport, I knew I was very far from home. One thing stuck out almost immediately—not only how beautiful everyone’s smiles were, but just how abundant they were. Customs agents, security guards, and even equally as tired, fellow passengers—all beaming! Though I didn’t know anyone at the time, it was still hard not... Read More

Being in a completely new country, it’s easy to forget that sometimes even simple, routine tasks aren’t done in the same way as they are back home. I learned that lesson quickly and -- admittedly by mistake – during my first trip grocery shopping in Jakarta. After buying produce, I did what we always do at home --went directly to the register to check out. I didn’t realize that here each piece of... Read More

The first weeks with Save the Children International has really exceeded all of my expectations. I have never in my life met so many friendly and welcoming people at once. Every morning the local custom among all staff members is three kisses on the cheek, handshakes and a "bump" in the shoulder. They give so much love to each other, which I deeply admire. After a lot of reading and learning from... Read More

On May 6, 2013 Project Hope launched the “Senior Care” program which will successfully benefit the elderly who live in the Tang Qiao community in Shanghai, China. This project is a pilot program to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a community- and home-based healthcare system for seniors in the community through the funding support of Baxter International Foundation. Project Hope has... Read More

The companies are generally interested in Diabetes Awareness Education Workplace Sessions.However, as most of the working company employees are young, on average within their 20s and 30s age range, many of the
Lesley Shane (GHF) and Cathy Wang (Coordinator... Read More

Jambo! (Hello!) Since the beginning of May 2013, IntraHealth International Kenya has welcomed and fully integrated me into their Capacity Kenya Project (CKP) team. Although it’s only been a couple of weeks, I am acclimating well and am excited about what this experience will bring. Each day has been different and I’m even challenging myself to learn Swahili. Kuwa na siku njema! (Have a good... Read More

Time is flying. It has been six weeks since my arrival in Beijing as a Pfizer Global Health Fellow. I am working with US Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Beijing Office for four months. In this program, I work along with US and China CDC colleagues evaluating the nature of newly emerging infectious diseases, studying how contagious they are and what the diseases transmission paths... Read More

I have recently learned some details about my primary fellowship project: I will be based in New Delhi, helping CARE India to set up a new program to eradicate Kala-Azar, or visceral leishmaniasis (VL). VL is a disease caused by a protozoan called Leishmania donovani, and it is transmitted by Phlebotomus, a small sand fly, which bites human hosts much like a mosquito. According to the World... Read More

To walk the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is an experience like no other. The confluence of sights, smells and sounds produces a rich sensory experience that is best compared to modern jazz. To a westerner, the seemingly disparate elements of people and animals, technology and tradition, and space and proximity, collide in chorus to create a culture that is oddly vibrant and harmonious. It is... Read More

This wasn't the love of sweaty palms, fluttering heartbeats and wet kisses exchanged in secret places, far from the prying eyes and disapproving looks of high-nosed adults. She knew better this time. Genet had first married young because of this kind of love. But, like most fires, the affection they shared had burned brightly at first, waned over time and eventually burned itself out. And, for... Read More